My name is Joe Boyd. I'm a husband, father, storyteller, pastor, filmmaker, improvisor, actor, author and a post-religious rebel pilgrim embedding myself into the story of an ancient Jewish homeless revolutionary.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

I'm signing with a new agency tomorrow: Susan Nathe and Associates. I've been agent-less for about two months since leaving the old place. I'll be interested to see how much I start getting out again. I've gotten used to my current pace of life without as many auditions. It is my job, though - so, back at it!

I'm teaching at the weekend services this weekend at The Crossing. It's hard to believe it has been about a year since the last time. The topic centers around life and death - and the idea of "legacy." I'm very much looking forward to it.

T-ball wraps up this week for Aidan. It has been a good experience for him. I think some of his grandpa's athletic ability skipped a generation and found him. Having said that, it will be nice to have our Saturdays return to their regular lazy form. I like packing my days off with a whole lot of nothing whenever possible.

Still sensing a divine call to openness. Still re-reading some books that impacted me in my twenties. Today I re-read The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard. I mark up books as I read them, so it has been fun to see the parts that impacted me six years ago vs. what caught my eye today. I dig Willard's soteriology and I hope he understands it correctly because I have pretty much adopted it as my own. Basically, that we are being saved everyday from ourselves and our world...

Friday, May 11, 2007

This month has been full of old friends. It's strange how there are seasons when the friends of your past all show up at once. We were especially surpised to hear from Kevin Rains and Dave Nixon from Vineyard Central in Cincinnati. It had been several years since we were together. Kevin and I did some traveling together a while back and Dave came to speak at Apex several years ago. Their church/urban monastery in Norwood has been a spiritual oasis for me for almost a decade. I used to escape there once a year to seek solitude and a change of pace. We are due for a visit.

I've also heard from several other friends and mentors from all over the world. It seems like God is placing our story on people's hearts...not exactly sure why, but it feels nice to be remembered.

My work life continues to plod along - making progress everyday. We made offers to several actors this week for "Nuts." We have to just wait and see now. I've booked Monday and it will be nice to work in front of camera again - feels like it has been a while. As always, shall keep you all updated...

Thursday, May 03, 2007

About six weeks ago I fell into a state of openness. I can think of no other word but that to describe it. I awake every morning with a willingness to take each day as it comes and an expectation that God is about to do something. It has been a very healthy and peaceful journey. It started the week before Easter, for no clear reason. It has brought me back to many of the things that shaped me over the last decade - Authors like Henri Nouwen, Brennan Manning and Jean Vanier; mentoring relationships that I let grow dorment; and above all, a simplicity of prayer/spirituality that I have been missing for maybe half a decade.

Things move forward in my life. The weeks pass faster in my thirties than they did in my twenties. My days are full of phone calls regarding the film I am making and my evenings are full of T-ball games, teaching Eli multiplication and an occasional Tivo guilty pleasure. (I'm part of the 50% that hasn't given up on LOST yet...and I correctly picked the American Idol Final Four about 8 weeks ago, though I have no written proof.)

I've booked a few industrial videos down here in Orange County, so it has been nice to work close to home. I have a gig for Toastmasters coming up next week. Hitting the Nuts (my movie) keeps wanting to grow in scope. Making a movie is a long, tedious process, but it has been a very good thing or me to tackle at this point in my life. It will be worth it when we are shooting - hopefully later this summer.

Looking forward to seeing what the coming days hold...trying to stay open.